This invention relates in general to jewelry, and more particularly to scented jewelry which is adapted to dispense perfumed vapors from a sorbent material permanently contained in a chamber.
It is desirable to provide a scented jewelry article which allows the housing components of the jewelry forming the chamber to be permanently affixed together, such as by soldering, without damaging the sorbent material holding the perfume during the affixing or soldering process. In addition, it is desirable to provide a joint design between the housing components which allows for ready attachment of the housing components.
During the normal use of jewelry, it may be impacted or otherwise mishandled causing breakage or otherwise rendering the jewelry unusable. It is desirable to provide scented jewelry which protects the sorbent material from damage after the housing components are assembled and when the jewelry is in use, creating a long product life.
Known housing components have been snapped together or screwed together (U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,267,067; 2,109,092; 2,550,828; 2,564,860; 2,740,662; 4,056,951; 4,159,631) and other references disclose hinging the housing components together (U.S. Pat. No. 2,740,662). When the housing components are snapped together, screwed together, or hinged, when impacted or otherwise mishandled, they may become disassembled and components lost or damaged. In fact, in some cases, injury to the wearer of the jewelry may occur when the housing components disassemble. Other housing components have been wood, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,058,274, which is does not have very high porosity to allow the perfumed vapors into the atmosphere. Other known chambers include cartridges, charged glass (U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,058,274 and 4,452,052) and hollow reservoirs for the aromatic liquid (U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,951).
Is also desirable to provide scented jewelry using a sorbent material that quickly absorbs aromatic liquids, such as perfume, and then evaporates the aromatic liquid over a period of hours. Such a desirable feature allows for extended use of the jewelry and dispensing perfumed vapors.
In order to effectively create the perfumed vapors, it is also desirable to provide for circulation of air around the sorbent material and into the atmosphere in the proximity of the jewelry. This allows more effective generation of the perfumed vapors by the scented jewelry.
Known jewelry for dispensing perfumed vapors usually have cloth-like sorbent materials such as cotton (U.S. Pat. Nos. 292,963; 1,267,067 and 2,740,662), fiberous sheets (U.S. Pat. No. 2,109,092), gauzes and wicks (U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,631), and disposable pads (U.S. Pat. No. 2,5500,828). Such sorbent materials are damaged by heat. Other known jewelry, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 195,324, is provided the porous earths, clays, or cement with water which are poured into shape and bake to be used as a perfumed charm. Unglazed ceramic beads and such have been used with an aromatic liquid are also known but have a more nonporous outer surface resulting from the firing of the ceramic beads. More unusual sorbent materials have also been provided as for example a sponge, (U.S. Pat. No. 367,976) and a blend of diatomaceous earth and plaster of Paris in a non-jewelry sachet (U.S. Pat. No. 2,564,860).
It is also desirable to provide a article of jewelry for dispensing perfumed vapors that is rechargeable, in which an aromatic liquid can be deposited in the jewelry so that perfumed vapors may continue to be dispensed by the jewelry. Such a rechargeable feature also allows the scented of the perfumed vapors to be changed.
It is desirable to provide a design for aromatic jewelry which is unique and can be adapted to a wide variety of exterior designs and geometric configurations depending on the artisan designing the jewelry while still achieving the above described desirable features.
The present invention provides a rechargeable article of jewelry which dispenses perfumed vapors and has a chamber formed from housing members which are made of a material which contain the perfumed vapors in the chamber. The housing members are permanently affixed to each other when the jewelry is formed. The present invention provides for the housing components of the jewelry forming the chamber to be permanently affixed together, such as by soldering, without damaging the sorbent material holding the perfume during the soldering process. A joint design between the housing components is also provided which allows for ready attachment of the housing components.
A nugget of unglazed ceramic material is provided in the chamber and is of a size less than the chamber so that it is free to move inside the chamber and allow air to pass around the nugget. This particular material, unglazed ceramic, allows the housing components to be permanently affixed together without damaging the sorbent material during the affixing process, such as soldering.
The chamber has apertures therein through which an aromatic liquid, such as perfume, can be deposited on and absorbed by the nugget. The apertures also allow air to circulate around the nugget and generate perfumed vapors which may exit the chamber through the apertures. The nugget is larger than any of the apertures so the nugget is retained in the chamber. Since the nugget can freely move in the chamber, air can circulate around the nugget to effectively create perfumed vapors which flows through the apertures and into the atmosphere in the proximity of the jewelry. This allows more effective generation of the perfumed vapors by the jewelry of the present invention.
The unglazed ceramic material from which the nugget is formed does not have the outer surface formed when the ceramic material is fired. This outer surface is removed before or during formation of the nugget. This outer surface is removed before or during formation of the nugget. It has been found that terra cotta material provides the favorable characteristics of a sorbent material that quickly absorbs aromatic liquids, such as perfume, and then allow for evaporation of the aromatic liquid over a period of hours. Terra cotta allows for extended use of the jewelry and dispensing perfumed vapors.
The present invention provides jewelry for dispensing perfumed vapors that is rechargeable. Aromatic liquid can be deposited in the jewelry through the apertures and onto the nugget so that the jewelry is recharged and perfumed vapors may continue to be dispensed by the jewelry. It should be understood that this rechargeable feature also allows different aromatic liquids to be deposited on the nugget so that the odor of the perfumed vapors can be changed.
The present invention also provides a jewelry design which is unique and can be adapted to a wide variety of exterior designs and geometric configurations depending on the artisan designing the jewelry while still achieving the above described desirable features.
A method of making scented jewelry is also provided. The method includes the steps of forming a plurality of housing members having complementary peripheral edges with the housing members having apertures therein. The nugget of unglazed ceramic material is then positioned adjacent one of the housing members and then the complementary peripheral edges of the housing members are positioned adjacent to and into contact with each other to form the chamber containing the nugget. The complementary peripheral edges of the housing members are affixed to each other to form a chamber containing the nugget. Other steps are also provided to achieve the desirable features of the product described above as will be more fully described.
Other desirable features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a study of the following description in the accompanying drawings which are illustrative of the invention.